The Long Cosmos (Long Earth Series #5)

by Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter

Overview

The thrilling conclusion to the internationally bestselling Long Earth series explores the greatest question of all: What is the meaning of life?

2070-71. Nearly six decades after Step Day, a new society continues to evolve in the Long Earth. Now, a message has been received: “Join us.”

The Next—the hyper-intelligent post-humans—realize that the missive contains instructions for kick-starting the development of an immense artificial intelligence known as The Machine. But to build this computer the size of an Earth continent, they must obtain help from the more populous and still industrious worlds of mankind.

Meanwhile, on a trek in the High Meggers, Joshua Valienté, now nearing seventy, is saved from death when a troll band discovers him. Living among the trolls as he recovers, Joshua develops a deeper understanding of this collective-intelligence species and its society. He discovers that some older trolls, with capacious memories, act as communal libraries, and live on a very strange Long Earth world, in caverns under the root systems of trees as tall as mountains.

Valienté also learns something much more profound . . . about life and its purpose in the Long Earth: We cultivate the cosmos to maximize the opportunities for life and joy in this universe, and to prepare for new universes to come.

The complete list of books in the Long Earth series include:

• The Long Earth
• The Long War
• The Long Mars
• The Long Utopia
• The Long Cosmos

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062297396
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/14/2016
Series:	Long Earth Series , #5
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	192,930
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) was the acclaimed creator of the globally revered Discworld series. In all, he authored more than fifty bestselling books, which have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any.

Stephen Baxter is an acclaimed, multiple-award-winning author whose many books include the Xeelee Sequence series, the Time Odyssey trilogy (written with Arthur C. Clarke), and The Time Ships, a sequel to H. G. Wells's classic The Time Machine. He lives in England.

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) was the acclaimed creator of the globally revered Discworld series. In all, he authored more than fifty bestselling books, which have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any.

Hometown:

Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Date of Birth:

April 28, 1948

Place of Birth:

Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England

Education:

Four honorary degrees in literature from the universities of Portsmouth, Bristol, Bath and Warwick

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Long Mars: “Panoramic and fascinating...” — Kirkus Reviews on THE LONG MARS

Praise for The Long Earth: “The Long Earth is a brilliant Science Fiction collaboration with Stephen Baxter: a love letter to all Pratchett fans, readers, and lovers of wonder everywhere… This novel is a gift to be shared with anyone who loves to be amazed.” — Io9 on THE LONG EARTH

“Stay tuned for the next episode of a very old-fashioned sf quest yarn (think Jules Verne and 2001) that, since Pratchett is involved, is crammed with scientifically informed amusement.” — Booklist on THE LONG EARTH

“In this thought-provoking collaboration, Pratchett (the Discworld series) and Baxter (Stone Spring) create an infinity of worlds to explore… fascinating premise…” — Publishers Weekly on THE LONG EARTH

From the Publisher

Praise for The Long Earth: “The Long Earth is a brilliant Science Fiction collaboration with Stephen Baxter: a love letter to all Pratchett fans, readers, and lovers of wonder everywhere… This novel is a gift to be shared with anyone who loves to be amazed.

Io9 on THE LONG EARTH

Stay tuned for the next episode of a very old-fashioned sf quest yarn (think Jules Verne and 2001) that, since Pratchett is involved, is crammed with scientifically informed amusement.

Booklist on THE LONG EARTH

Narrator Michael Fenton Stevens delivers this final book in the Long Earth series with a feeling of familiarity. The phenomenon of “stepping between parallel earths” is now in its sixtieth year. As the galaxy continues to broadcast its message—“JOIN US”—the intrepid travelers continue their explorations and contemplations of the meaning of life. Although this series is not imbued with the level of irony and dry humor of Pratchett’s renowned Discworld series, Stevens doesn’t neglect the flashes of humor that are present as he portrays the fine-tuned relationships between the characters. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

JULY 2016 - AudioFile